April 26, 2018 - 13:43 AMT
Armenia: Top officials from ARF Dashnaktsutyun resign

Acting ministers and governors from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Dashnaktsutyun have resigned, a statement from the ARF revealed on Thursday, April 26, as demonstrators are staging rallies against the authorities for the 13th day.

Among them are acting minister of education Levon Mkrtchyan, acting minister of nature protection Artsvik Minasyan, as well as governors of Shirak and Aragatsotn provinces Artur Khachatryan and Ashot Simonyan, respectively.

The ARF declared on Wednesday about its decision to pull out from the ruling coalition with the Republican Party.

Opposition leader from Yelk bloc, founder and head of Civil Contract party Nikol Pashinyan leads the campaign against former president Serzh Sargsyan’s appointment as prime minister, and against his premiership after he was already appointed to the post.

Sargsyan was forced to resign on Monday, and Pashinyan is now seeking the appointment as prime minister by the National Assembly of what he calls “the people’s candidate,” the formation of a temporary government and snap parliamentary elections.

Pashinyan and acting prime minister from the ruling party Karen Karapetyan were scheduled to meet on Wednesday, April 25 but the meeting was canceled. Pashinyan urged demonstrators to resume the rally, with the protesters paralyzing traffic on several major avenues and streets in Yerevan and gathering at the Republic Square again.

Later on Wednesday, the ruling Republican Party of Armenia declared it is ready to discuss any issue with all the parties.